Tensions rise as temporary drivers cross picket line at Quality Beverage in Taunton

Tuesday

May 30, 2017 at 5:36 PMMay 30, 2017 at 9:36 PM

Sara Cline The Enterprise @saraclinenews

TAUNTON - While many people over Memorial Day weekend were attending barbecues, watching parades, taking a trip to the beach or just visiting family and friends, Chad Teixeira’s weekend was much different.

“I’ve been here for over 12 hours. I slept here last night,” Teixeira said as he huddled up under a pop-up tent outside of Quality Beverage Inc. in Taunton’s Myles Standish Industrial Park.

Teixeira is one of dozens of union drivers and warehouse workers from Quality Beverage, one of the largest independently-owned beer wholesalers in New England, who have been on strike since last Friday, May 26.

On Tuesday, May 30, temporary drivers and other workers, brought in by Quality Beverage, passed the large group of striking workers, who had other local union workers from surrounding companies by their side.

“I think it is ridiculous it got to this point. It could have been settled,” said Mike Bibienvenue who has worked at Quality Beverage for 20 years. “I’m hoping the company will come to their senses.”

Teamsters Union Local 170 business agent Sean Foley, who represents the workers, said Friday, when the strike began, that the new five-year contract proposed by the company is unsatisfactory—because it doesn’t guarantee that the company will not arbitrarily increase each member’s contribution to his or her healthcare plan.

“All we are doing is looking for a fair contract with fair wage and fair health insurance,” Shannon George, the principal officer for Teamsters Local 170, said.

But Quality Beverage spokesperson Scott Farmelant said Tuesday the contract the union rejected would have frozen employees’ healthcare contribution for five years.

Farmelant said Quality Beverage considers itself “an employee first company,” with the average driver earning more than $70,000 a year and some more than $100,000.

“The offers during negotiations were made in good faith and were certainly generous and would allow employees to receive wages much higher than distributor competitors,” Farmelant said Tuesday.

Quality Beverage made it clear from the start that temporary workers would be brought in should employees go out on strike “to preserve the financial stability and security of the company,” he said.

Since the strike began on Friday the group striking has been growing. Not only are there employees from Quality Beverage outside with signs but also union workers from surrounding companies such as Verizon and Martignetti Companies have been joining in on the strike to show their support for the workers.

“I’m on my vacation and this is what I’m doing, I’m here,” said William FitzMaurice, an employee at Martignetti Companies “This is not fair. These guys shouldn’t have to worry about counting pennies.”

“This could happen to any of us,” said Bob Mandeville a nearby union worker said. “Everyone sticks together. I know they would do the same for us.”

While the group striking outside of the 525 Myles Standish Boulevard building has increasingly grown, on Tuesday the company brought in temporary workers and drivers to do the work of those striking.

“These replacements are not professionals,” Eli Gillen, a business agent from Teamsters Local 170 said. “We don’t know their background. Our drivers are trained and skilled at what they do. With these replacement drivers the company is putting unsafe drivers on the street.”

But Farmelant said that is not the case.

He said Quality Beverage hired a company to provide temporary workers and the drivers are all licensed and insured and fully qualified for the job, as are the warehouse workers.

He also praised the police officers assigned to details during the strike.

“They have been very professional and courteous and have been doing the job the way you’d expect them to do the job,” Farmelant said. “Public safety is the most important thing.”

When the temporary workers were brought past the picket line in a van Tuesday morning, tensions rose as strikers yelled at the replacement workers and police escorted the vehicle through the crowd.

“It gets pretty personal when you see people come in to do your job,” Gillen said.

“It’s disheartening,” Teixeira said about seeing replacement drivers go by. “I’ve given so much of myself to this company and sacrificed time with my family and to see that they think we are easily replaceable is disheartening.”

Farmelant said Quality Beverage values its workers and is proud of the offer on the table.

“There is real pride in the workers. They are the heart and soul of this company. There’s no disputing that,” Farmelant said.

“I wouldn’t say anyone’s easily replaceable. Nobody wins in a strike. It comes at great cost to all sides and part of that cost is to keep the company in business so the jobs are there when an agreement is reached,” Farmelant said.

Teixeira said the workers will continue to strike around the clock outside of the Quality Beverage facility, which consists of a warehouse, shipping and corporate headquarters.

“I’ve worked here for 31 years and there has never been a strike,” Tom Miguel, a worker of Quality Beverage, said.

George said during that day they had already seen the support they had from their customers, some of whom refused delivery from the temporary drivers that morning.

“The customers stand behind us,” George said. “They know the drivers and the drivers know them. They build relationships with the customers.”

Farmelant confirmed that at least one or two customers had asked to hold off on deliveries out of respect for the striking employees but he did not know the exact number.

As for if there have been talks of a new contract, George said “they are more than willing to sit back down with the company but they are refusing.”

Farmelant confirmed that there are no active discussions at this point but said Quality Beverage looks forward to negotiations resuming.

He said a private mediator agreed upon by both parties was overseeing negotiations and Quality Beverage is looking to that person to help re-start talks.

“We’re going to continue to be out here 24/7,” Gillen said. “We are not going away.”